Kota Kinabalu: An Indonesian boy, kidnapped along with four compatriots from a Malaysian fishing boat in Lahad Datu waters in January 2020, is still missing after a boat he and three other hostages were travelling on with their Abu Sayyaf captors capsized in Tawi-Tawi, southern Philippine waters Thursday, a Philippine military official told Daily Express.
Initial debriefing of kidnap victims rescued from the capsized boat confirmed they were with the boy, said Lt Jerrica Angela A Manongdo, Joint Task Force (JTF)-Sulu information officer.
“He was separated when their boat capsized. Forces in Tawi-Tawi are still trying to search for the missing personalities,” she said in a Viber message on Saturday.
Daily Express
broke the news in March 2020 on the boy actually being one of the five Indonesian fishermen kidnapped off Tambisan Island although authorities earlier reported five adults, including one named Edi Lawalopo, had been kidnapped.
Edi was not on the boat as Khairul had actually replaced him as one of the crew members that fateful day, Daily Express earlier reported.
The boy even managed to
escape his captors but was later recaptured.
The three Indonesian hostages were rescued in waters off Pasigan Island in South Ubian municipality in Tawi-Tawi, southern Philippines after a jungkong or locally-made motorboat they were on capsized amid big waves.
The trio were identified as Riswanto Hayano, 27, Arizal Kastamiran, 29, and Arsyad Dahalan, 41, the fishing boat skipper.
Two Abu Sayyaf sub-leaders, Sahud Salasim @ Ben Wagas and Injimar Mangkabong @ Bensal, who were travelling with the Indonesians on the boat, were captured, a release from JTF-Sulu on Friday night said.
Another Indonesian hostage, La Baa, was killed while trying to escape his Abu Sayyaf captors in Patikul, Sulu on Sept 29 last year, said the release further.
The Abu Sayyaf men and their captives were trying to leave Sulu on the boat following intense military operations in the province.
Ben Wagas and two other Abu Sayyaf sub-leaders Majan Sahidjuan @ Apo Mike and Injam Yadah, staged the kidnapping of the Indonesians, said JTF-Sulu and 11th Infantry Division Commander Maj Gen William N Gonzales in the release.
“Since then, we have intensified our combat operations against these kidnappers. Originally, this kidnap-for-ransom group hid in the mountainous areas of Indanan. Just last February, we launched brigade combat operations in that area,” Gonzales said.
“They were also not able to cross to the Patikul area as we have established patrol bases within its hinterlands. Fortunately, the people of Sulu have been very helpful as they actively and continually deny the ASG of their usual hideouts.
“JTF-Sulu will continue to look for the remaining kidnap victim and pursue the Abu Sayyaf members who are now either hiding or scampering away to other provinces to evade us.”
Some five to 10 other ASG members were with the group during their escape, said the release, adding units under JTF-Sulu are on alert in case the remaining abductors sailed or swam back to Sulu.
